Coronavirus and the World Championships

[karne]

Yes, the big hope is that this virus will act like the covid cold and the flu virus, die way back in the warm, moist months, to possibley return in the late fall. So we can get treatment drugs and eventually various shots for the strains to protect healthy people.

That is no hope or comfort for those of us who live in places where the warm months have just departed and the cold months are just beginning - particularly for those of us whose country's emergency systems have already been stretched to breaking point many times in the last few months.

 

[CoyoteChris]

The Chinese gymnasts who competed in the American Cup had to be quarantined in Doha for two weeks before they were allowed into the US. As soon as they got done competing they were going to have to go to Chicago to see if they would be able to get visas to go to their next competition. It seems a difficult thing to be a Chinese athlete right now.

This is interesting to me....IF TRUE, check this out. 33 cases discovered on a cruise ship and all were asymptomatic. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...LxleHtzpDWVxN7mGeSLpPBU1QKUPc3eKiMKacoA6PGP3E

 

[CoyoteChris]

To be fair, it has been widely reported that officials in the U.S. are lamenting their lack of ability to do testing on any kind of scale. That's not fear-mongering, it is fact. The U.S. has been slow to react.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/02/why-has-the-us-cdc-done-so-little-coronavirus-testing.html

And from Tuesday:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/29/health/fda-coronavirus-testing.html

ITA. I am very frustrated with my government. They dont seem to have the ability to learn anything about preparedness.
From something so simple as "certain schools need tornado shelters" to "have masks stockpiled". We wont even talk about epidemics in the 20th century...
SARS 2004
AVIAN 2008
SWINE 2010
MERS 2012
EBOLA 2014
ZIKA 2016
EBOLA 2018

 

[apgold]

Phillip Hersch and Jackie Wong have both tweeted about the possibility of it being cancelled. Ideally they would just let the athletes decide whether to come, but there are volunteers and paid stadium staff and all sorts of other people to consider.

I saw Phil's tweet about the ISU needing to make a decision by this upcoming Wednesday, since people will start to travel after that.

At this point, I'm kind of hoping they will cancel or postpone (with the option of getting refunds for tickets). There are more calls on Twitter for this. Many are upset over the ISU Awards and the red carpet being a hotbed for spreading the virus.

I've sunk a lot of money into this, but there are too many unknowns packing people all over the world into an enclosed space for consecutive days, when many officials are advocating "social distancing" until it's contained. I also have an elderly mother with COPD, and while I don't live with her, the thought of me accidentally exposing her to the virus makes me anxious.

 

[MGstyle]

Although personally I feel this global panic is grossly exaggerated, mostly provoked by the media egging on the whole world - now the hysteria is full blown, it is not going to go away easily. Perhaps if it's possible, postpone to mid-April may be a wiser idea, the weather should be much warmer by then and the virus (hopefully) should have started to die down.

 

[theharleyquinn]

I would think that many people will begin traveling well before when practices start. People may be heading to Montreal tomorrow. It seems like the ISU should be providing more venue-specific details on what precautions would be arranged very soon so that people can prepare.

I wonder if they would hold Worlds with no audience. It seems to me that they don't want to cancel it.

 

[FayD]

I hope they at least reconsider the red carpet event. Go on with the competition if you will, but there's no need for additional fluff events to create further risk for skaters and fans.

 

[Xena45]

At this point, I'm kind of hoping they will cancel or postpone (with the option of getting refunds for tickets).

I've sunk a lot of money into this, but there are too many unknowns packing people all over the world into an enclosed space for consecutive days, when many officials are advocating "social distancing" until it's contained. I also have an elderly mother with COPD, and while I don't live with her, the thought of me accidentally exposing her to the virus makes me anxious.

At this point, I'm super ambivalent about it. My mother and I spent $2500 USD .on tickets, and she isn't going because she's 72 years old with some ongoing health issues. I'm planning to go alone, and plan to avoid seeing her for an additional 14 days after I get home (which is the US - Wisconsin).

If they do cancel I'd be surprised and delightef to even get a 50% refund, but I suspect we'd get nothing.

 

[rollerblade]

the weather should be much warmer by then and the virus (hopefully) should have started to die down.

How do we know warm weather kills the virus? Because there are many reported hot climate regions (tropics), where the night time temp doesn't fall below 25 Celsius.

 

[Amei]

Although personally I feel this global panic is grossly exaggerated, mostly provoked by the media egging on the whole world - now the hysteria is full blown, it is not going to go away easily. Perhaps if it's possible, postpone to mid-April may be a wiser idea, the weather should be much warmer by then and the virus (hopefully) should have started to die down.

Agree with you about this being hyped by media provocation. In terms of Worlds - official practices are supposed to start a week from tomorrow which means it's probably just a couple days from skaters and their teams starting to fly to Canada; out of respect for the cost to the skaters and their coaches the ISU needs to make an official decision/announcement on if the event is going to happen.

 

[anonymoose_au]

That is a point though, the Olympic Committee seems to be ignoring the Southern hemisphere (where it'll be winter), or is it assumed all Southern hemisphere athletes will be training in the northern hemisphere instead? I mean some will be, but not all.

 

[Elucidus]

How do we know warm weather kills the virus? Because there are many reported hot climate regions (tropics), where the night time temp doesn't fall below 25 Celsius.

1) the number of cases there weren't that big
2) aerosol way of propagating (via droplets) is affected by high temperature since they dry up faster

 

[DC2003]

I don't recall if this was suggested yet...

Skate Canada should at least offer ticketholders the opportunity to cancel and obtain a refund similar to how many airlines and hotels are now waiving their cancellation fees. With all the panic - warranted or not - worldwide, they cannot be oblivious to the many people that cannot or will not attend. I just cancelled all my reservations as my employer would require me to self-quarantine for two weeks after returning which I cannot afford to do. The ISU and Skate Canada should not profit from this global paranoia.

 

[rain]

Agree with you about this being hyped by media provocation. In terms of Worlds - official practices are supposed to start a week from tomorrow which means it's probably just a couple days from skaters and their teams starting to fly to Canada; out of respect for the cost to the skaters and their coaches the ISU needs to make an official decision/announcement on if the event is going to happen.

I was going to say, there must be a date by which they have to make a decision (unless there is some complete and unforeseen disaster), because everyone's going to start to fly in.

 

[rollerblade]

1) the number of cases there weren't that big
2) aerosol way of propagating (via droplets) is affected by high temperature since they dry up faster

I'll give you 1.
As for 2, have you been to places with >90% humidity? Things just don't evaporate that fast.

 

[NaVi]

The ISU and Skate Canada should not profit from this global paranoia.

If they cancel and gave out refunds, they would lose a lot of money.

I'll be frank though, the ISU gives off the impression of doing a lot of performative CYA right now. Just doing enough which won't cost them that much money or get them sued. I see no indication that they've tried to encourage those from countries most stricken by the virus to not come to event preferring to just leave it to the government.

Here's a measure they could take to reduce total attendance and hence reduce potential spread. I would give out vouchers equal to double of the value of the tickets paid that can be redeemed for tickets to individual grand prix events. Since those events almost always have some empty seats and since many who take the voucher might not redeem it just like any gift card, they would not lose money doing this.

 

[LKR]

I was going to say, there must be a date by which they have to make a decision (unless there is some complete and unforeseen disaster), because everyone's going to start to fly in.

According to Phil Hersh, Wednesday (March 11). Not clear who his source this, though. He mentions emailing Lakernik, who told him "No discussions at the moment" as to whether Worlds will be held.

Selfishly I want the competition to continue, but tickets should be refunded to those unable or unwilling to attend.

 

[YuBluByMe]

If they cancel and gave out refunds, they would lose a lot of money.

Here's a measure they could take to reduce total attendance and hence reduce potential spread. I would give out vouchers equal to double of the value of the tickets paid that can be redeemed for tickets to individual grand prix events. Since those events almost always have some empty seats and since many who take the voucher might not redeem it just like any gift card, they would not lose money doing this.

That’s actually a great idea. I bought two tickets (one for myself and the other for my family to share) and I’m not expecting a full refund in the event Worlds is cancelled. However, to tell people “Sorry, the tickets are non-refundable. No exceptions!” is this situation is UNSAT. This situation is an exception and should be treated as such. They better do something , especially if they are waiting to the last minute to put out a word.

I was actually supposed to go to Japan on a business trip the exact same week Worlds is being held, but I weaselled my way out of it. Oh the bitter irony...

 

[TallyT]

Here's a measure they could take to reduce total attendance and hence reduce potential spread. I would give out vouchers equal to double of the value of the tickets paid that can be redeemed for tickets to individual grand prix events. Since those events almost always have some empty seats and since many who take the voucher might not redeem it just like any gift card, they would not lose money doing this.

Nice idea in theory, but I doubt the fans - especially the passionate ones who travel all over - will go for that sort of pig in a poke in practice.

Think about it from a PR point of view: "here, have 2 tickets to GPs you had no intention of going to anyway..." Nope, not unless they came with a guarantee of redemption after it was announced where all the skaters - specifically the ones they actually paid the World-price bucks to travel and watch in the first place? - would be. And somehow, I don't think JSF and RusFed, who have the drawcards and moneyspinners and expect the biggest paying crowds, are going to go for that idea at all....

 

[NaVi]

Nice idea in theory, but I doubt the fans - especially the passionate ones who travel all over - will go for that sort of pig in a poke in practice.

Think about it from a PR point of view: "here, have 2 tickets to GPs you had no intention of going to anyway..." Nope, not unless they came with a guarantee of redemption after it was announced where all the skaters - specifically the ones they actually paid the World-price bucks to travel and watch in the first place? - would be. And somehow, I don't think JSF and RusFed, who have the drawcards and moneyspinners and expect the biggest paying crawds, are going to go for that idea at all....

This is an idea to reduce the crowd at the event... so a voluntary offer... take it or leave it. I think it would be harder to do something like this if they were to do a full cancellation.

And they could add 4CC/Euros to the mix too.